baker



(No Model.)

M. HALL 8; W. H. BAKER.

RAILWAY RAIL JOINT. v No. 520,425. 4 Patented May 29, 1894.

Innminwsea n UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAJOR HALL AND WILLIAM H. BAKER, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNORS OFONE-HALF TO JACOB W. THOMPSON AND MARTHA PLACE.

VIS, OF SAME RAILWAY-RAIL JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,425, dated May 29,1894.

Application filed June 29,1893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MAJOR HALL and WILLIAM H. BAKER, both of St. Paul,Ramsey county, Minnesota, have invented certain Improvements inRailway-Rail Joints, of'which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in the joints or couplings ofrailway track rails; its object being to provide an improved form ofjoint, a nut locking attachment therefor, and a tie bar connecting theopposite joints to prevent the spreading of the rails.

To this end our invention consists in providing angle bars so formed asto bear solely upon the ball and base of the rail, standing normally outof contact with its web, so that as the wear takes place the securingbolts may be tightened and the bars drawn closer inward toward the web.The lower member of each bar lies upon the base of the rail and anextension on one is bent underneath the rail, projecting beyond theopposite edge. The lower member of the other bar has an extension whichprojects beyond the edge of the rail parallel with the extension of theother bar. Through the parallel edges of the extensions are cut boltholes which are larger than the bolt or are elongated transversely ofthe rail, through which a vertical securing bolt is passed, the shape ofthe bolt holes permitting lateral movement of the angle bars withreference to each other. A nut luck is provided by means of a bar fittedclosely into the corner of the angle bar, and bearing against the nutsupon the vertical and horizontal bolts. A We also provide atie barhaving holes through its ends to receive the vertical angle bar bolts,by means of which opposite joints may be firmly connected so as toprevent the spreading of the rails.

Our invention further consists in the construction and combinationhereinafter more particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification: Figure'1 is a side elevation of our improved joint. Fig. 2 is a cross sectionof two joints showing the connecting tie bar, and Fig. 3 is a detail ofa modified formof tie bar.

In the drawings A A represent the rails,

Serial No. 479,191. (No model.)

against one side of the meeting ends of which the angle bar B isarranged, and on the other side the angle bar C. These bars are formedso that the upper edges of their vertical members 2 bear against theunder side of the ball 3 of the rail, the lower member resting upon thesloping upper surface of the base 4h The inner face of the bar thusstands a slight'distance away from the web 5 of the rail. The lowermember 6 of the bar B is'bent outward at an obtuse angle with thevertical web, so as to conform to the slope of the rail base 4, theoutwardly projecting extension 7 being bent at a slight angle with thepart 6 so as to be approximately horizontal. The member 8 of the bar 0is similarly bent to fit to the top of the rail base, and has anextension 9 bent underneath the rail, leaving an open space between thebend and the edge of the rail, the extreme projecting portion 10 standing parallel with, but separated from the extension 7. Through theextensions are cut bolt holes 11 and 12 enlarged or slotted in adirection transverse of the rail. Through these bolt holes is passed thevertical bolt 13, by means of which the extensions can be grippedtightly upon the rail base, and the extension 9 firmly supports theabutting ends of the rails. The bolts 14 are passed through holes in thevertical members 2 of the bars, and through corresponding openings inthe web of the rail in the ordinary manner, so as to grip the barsagainst the rail. The nut 15 of the vertical bolt, and the nuts 16 ofthe horizontal bolts, are locked by means of a bar 17 which is slippedor driven into the corner of the angle bar B, so as to bear against theadjacent faces of the nuts.

In order to prevent the spreading of the rails we provide a tie bar 18,which is provided at each end with a bolt hole through which the bolts13 are passed so as to secure it firmly to the joints, and thus preventthe spreading of the rails. In case the joints are not exactly oppositeeach other, we use a modified form 19 of tie bar, one end of which isfitted with a hole to receive the bolt 13, and the other with a hook 12to engage the outer edge of the base of the opposite rail.

It will be seen from the foregoing description and the drawings that thetightening of the nuts of the bolts 14 draws the angle bars toward thewebs of the rails wedging them between the balls and bases. As thebearing surfaces are worn by use, the tightening of these bolts drawsthe bars still farther in ward and secures a firm joint, the spacebetween the edge of the rail bases and the inclosing bend of the anglebar B, permitting the rail base to farther enter the bend. The verticalbolts 13 clamp the extensions firmly upon the rail base, the spacebetween them permitting of the tightening of the bolts tocompensate forwear. The enlarged or slotted bolt holes permit the extensions to bemoved laterally with the tightening of the bolts 14. -By this means theWear upon any part of the bars can be compensated for.

We claim 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with therails, of the angle bars, a lateral horizontal extension upon the lowermember of one bar, an extension upon the lower member of the other barextending beneath and beyond the rail, substantially parallel with theextension of the other bar, but not in contact therewith, registeringbolt holes in said extensions, and the securing bolt arranged in saidholes outside said rails, said holes being enlarged or slottedtransversely of the rails, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the rails, of the angle bars adapted to bearagainst the rail ball and base only, the securing bolts therefor, alateral extension upon the lower member of one bar projecting beyond therail, an extension upon the lower member of the other bar arrangedunderneath and projecting beyond the opposite edge of the base of therail, substantially parallel, but not in contact with the extension uponthe other bar, and relatively lateral adjustable means for clamping saidextensions upon the base of the rail to take up the wear thereof,substantially as described.

3. In a railway rail joint, the combination with the rails, of the anglebars adapted to be clamped on opposite sides of the meeting ends thereofand having extensions, one bent underneath and serving as a support forthe rails, and both projecting parallel with, but separated from eachother, beyond the rails,

and means permitting relative lateral movement of said extensions forclamping the same together, substantially as described.

4:. In a railway rail joint, the combination with the rails, of theangle bars, the extensions upon the lower edges of said angle bars, oneprojecting beneath the base of the rails and both projectingsubstantially parallel beyond the edge of the base, the registeringopenings through said extensions elongated or enlarged in a directiontransverse of the rails, the securing bolt arranged in said registeringopenings, and the. tie bar connected at one end to the opposite joint orrail, and having an opening to receive said bolt and be secured therebyto said joint, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the railway rail joints having angle bars withextensions upon their lower edges, one passing underneath the rail baseand serving as a support therefor, and both projecting parallel witheach other beyond the edge of the rail base, having registering openingstherethrough elongated transversely thereof, the clamping bolts arrangedin said openings, and the tie bar havin g an opening at each end adaptedto receive one of said-bolts whereby it may be secured to and bindtogether the opposite joints of the track, substantially as described.

6. In a railway rail joint, the combination with the rails, of the anglebars having extensions on their lower edges, one bent underneath therails and both projecting substantially parallel beyond the edge of therails, and provided with registering, transversely elongated bolt holes,the vertical bolt secured in said registering holes, horizontal boltspassing through the angle bars and the webs of the rails, and thelocking bar inserted between and bearing against the adjacent faces ofthe nuts of said vertical and horizontal bolts and the corner of theangle bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 29th day ofApril, 1893.

MAJOR HALL. WM. I-I. BAKER. Witnesses:

T. D. MERWIN, H. Y. JOHNSON.

